Ship&#39;s propeller.



F. CLENNELL & F. W. THORP.

SHIPS PROPBLLER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 29, 1905. 1,008,953, Patented NOV.14, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

W x 'v N a ss E s; l

` FRANKCLENNELLLQ FRdKWwuAMTHoRP,

BX QM/SMM UNITED sTArnsrArENT onirica.

FRANK CLENNELL, or WELLINGTON. AND FREDERICK WILLIAM 'rnonr, or Morosini,

` Nnw z'EALANn.

snirs PnoPELLEn.

To all whom it may concern.' l

Be it known that we, FRANK CLENNELL and Fnnpimicii lViLLiAivLTHoRr, subjects vof the `King of Great-Britain, residing, respectively, at Wellington and- Motueka, in the -Colony of New Zealand, have invented new and useful lmproveinents in Ships Propel-4 in onnectionwith ships driven by turbine engines in which generally separate -engines are used fordrrving ahead and lastern, butv1t 1s also suitable for use in connection with the ordinary type of engines.

In carrying out the invention' the propel' 1er boss is formed in two portions inclosin a'h'ollow space. shaft in fthe ordinary manner. Each blade of the propeller is provided with a neck portion that fits within bearings'formed in the wall of the propeller b'o'ss andI projects into the space inclosed thereby. Theinner ends of these neck portions or projections have secured to; or made in one with, them bevel ward.

The tail shaft .is formedwith a hollow bore running centrally through it and` fitting.

within thisbore is a spindle thev rear en d of which projects outward i'nto the hollow -of the propeller boss' and has secured upon it a bevel wheel that gears with all .of the the propeller bevel wheels secured to the propeller blades. Thisv spindle is free to rotate independently within the shaft bore. Thus bythe rotation of the spindle and the gear wheel upon it,

blades will be caused simultaneously to rotate-on their own axes so as thereby to alter the pitch to any desired degree and cause the blades to assume any desired angle in relation to the center line of the tail shaft, thus providing for thevessel beingv driven ahead or astern while the ltail shaft is rotating the one direction.

Means are provided wherebythe spindle upon the end ordinary manner by means of the nut (df and itsend'face isformed as a seat upon It is secured to the tai which the outer half (b) fits and is fastened gear wheels', the teeth of which face in- .7.

Speelication of Letters Patent. Patented Nov. 14. 1911. Application led June 29,

i905. serial No. 267.585.

may be rotated as desired and be held from rotation at any positionV so4 that the blades maynot work loose or alter their position whilethe propeller is revolving.

In the accompanying drawings -Figure 1 is a sectional plan of the propeller and of means for actuating the blade operating mechanism. 'Fig'. 2 is an' end elevation of the inner half-of the propeller boss. Figs. 3 and 4 are details of the blade actuating a pliances that will be hereinafter more fully referred to. of alternative means for actuating the propeller blades, while, Figs. 9 to 11 are illustrations ofl further alternative appliances for performing the same function.

Referringto Figs. l Iand 2:-The boss of the propeller` is divided into two halves (a) and I(Iy) jointed together so .as to inclose a.v

The half (a) is`securely fixed -hollow space.

of thetail shaft (c) in the bIv/inea'nsofset screws, bolts or the like.

.The-blades"(e) of the propeller vare'each formed with necks or shanks (f) and'these Shanks tit within bearings Aformed in the propeller boss and prxgject into the hollow space inc losed therei The bearings in which the shanks (f) fit are preferably formed in the joint' between the two por `tions (ai and b) of the boss so as thus to allow of the b adesbeing quickly fitted to the boss. Upon the inner end of each shank is a bevel toothed Awheel (g), the teethof which face inward' toward the center of the boss. This bevel wheel may be formed in one with the blade and shank or it may be made separatelyand secured thereto in any approvedman-ner.' The inner ends ofthe shanksrest in footstep bearings (h) formed in vthe internal body portion af of the boss.

The. blades (e) are thus capable of swinging t around on longitudinal axes in their` bearings so'as to assume any angle in relation to the plane of the tail shaft. y with aj'lange A.(4%) and the outside faceof the (e2) into which these anges t, thus providing turning faces on which the blades may turn.

Each blade is formed propeller boss 71s formed wih* recesses i In Fig. '2 'one f the bndes is Shown as being madeseparately from its shank and secured thereto by means of studs and-nuts.-

This manner of construction will allow of the Iblade being removed'and replaced withoutrhaving to remove lpropeller-boss. v v

The tail shaft (c). is bored longitudinally through its center and within the bore thus formed a spindle (j)its so asvto be-capable n, ofl revolving independently of the tail shaft.

This-spindle passes out through a gland in the end of the tail shaft and projects outward into the hollowof the propeller boss,

its extreme end being carried in a bearing formed in thecap portion (b) ofr theboss l k) is securely mounted upon this gearfwheel/gears with4 e propeller. is revolved, f simultaneous and equal turning 'movement Agear wheel the spindle an .all of the bevel vwheels (g) of t` blades. Thus when the spindle will be imparted to the propeller blades.- v The blades will revolve with thef tail shaft in theordinary manner but the angle as'- `sumed in relation .to the plane yof t-heislaft-v may be reversed or adjusted to any desired degree by giving anindependent partial rol tationto the sp1ndle (j). Various ways of giving this movement to thespindle and bladesand for lockingthem in any'desired position may be devised. In .the drawingsthree "ways of effecting this object are shown. I I lIn Fig. 1 a sleeve portion (Z) is interis formed with a pair of spiral slots (m) in -its side diametrically'opposite to each other. The formation of these slots is shown inFig. 3which -isa plan view ofthe sleeve.

. The inner end of the spindle (j) isa-provided I en d. l Splra iover the ends o with an en1argement(n) that lits 'within the f sleeve (l). This enlarged portion is provided with a slot' (n) extending longitudinally along it. A cotter pin (o), shownin detail inwFig. 4, passes through the slot (n) slots (mg inthe sleeve. collar (p) loose vencircles the sleeve and [its the ootter pin .(o) carried in'sliding blocks (0'). This collar 1s capable of a sliding movement along the sleeve' .-and when thus moved will ca rry the cotter the spiral slots pin-.with it which cutter pim-by reason of also through la partial revolution and ca the portion ,(5) ofthe gage with theteeth of t collar (u) surrounds the" shaft .-withln 'the' posed between the inner end of the tail shaft (c) and ,the .main shaft (c). This sleeve projects-from each side through the- A-recessedr (m) will be-causedto 'movev the-spindle (j.) around with it. Thus the ment of-which thefcollanwill'be causedl to move. This lever may be locked in any p osition.

. Alternative means for rotating the spinings.v .Inthese figures, Fig. '5 isa sectional cross section on lthe'line of Fig. 5. In the means here shown, `.the couplingof the tail shaft with themainshaft is. recessed as at (r) in orderl to .allow` voftheinsertion within such reces's'of arv inio'n-(j) secured upon the end of thespindle- (j.) 'andjoff'a mion.- s ,4 vearin with such pinion land a Aiich. projectsbeyond.the`

' he periphe 'ofw surrounds themain shaftandis'fformed-with l -a'hood portion "'(t)'thatenvelopsthecouf (is, formed? 'sleeveand isprevented .from independent 'i rotation by means l"of-feather keysg This collar provided :(w)fpro]ect outward, from it. fins.v ass outl through vspiral slots (a ,)-forme in ft 'e sleeve and:

lar p) .then Surrounds lthe' sleeve and over the :ends of the pins.- lSl'iit'able".means are providedfor sliding he-,collar (`p)'a-longv thevsle'eve. -When itiisfthus; moved the 'pins (w) andcollar (u)'wi ll-be carriedwith it, the pins slidi along thev spiral .'slotsinthe mentupon theshaft, willicausesuch sleeve' l to rotate indepex'idently.-thereof. This'rotaltory movement of the sleeve willf'then` .communicated to`thepinio1r1 j)}.a'nd spin?" dle (j)through the'p'mion (a r vFurther alternativemeans are lsh'ownjin y the line. the sleeve and is capa le of lo -B ofv Fig. A-9'1 Inthese means,

,-Fi'gs. 9 to 11, Fig; arbeiag. as vsectional plan,

Fig. 10 a Klan'and -Figg 11 across section onf t)- surrounds `the shaft coupling tudi'nal sliding move-A ment upon the shaft ut is. held from independent rotatory .movement by means ofv feathenkeysf lThe coupling is for va portion o f, its diameter, as shown in 11. The inner end of. the spindle projectsA into thisrecess and has secured to itangarm'Y (y) Which extends radially outward and passes intov 'a spiral-slot (se) 'formec'li'inV the sleeve. Thus by sliding the sleeve along, the am (y) tothespindle (j). Although the means shown'and are 'suitab e for eifectingthe required movement of theslpindle (j) to actuatethe blades l of the p rope er in order' to adjustltheirangle's, it 1s to be understood Athat such means be caused to ffollow the'` spiral slot and it willthusbeven afrotary movement which moveinent'will be imparted i do not constitute the important features of this invention as other means equally effecv tive may be devised and adopted.

What We do claim as our invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In a'ships ropeller, the combination of a tail-shaft having a tapering end portion, a threaded outer end, and an axial bore therethrough;'an inner boss-piece having a tapering opening therethrough fitting on said tapering end portion, and provided With outer recesses forming apertured flange portions; an outer boss piece provided with outer recesses forming apertured flange portions and an end bearing-recess;.bolts in the apertures of the flange portions and holding the inner and outer boss-pieces together, whereby a substantially spherical boss is formed, said pieces being provided with hol- 20 low spaces and supplementary coperative recesses forming radial bearings having annular recesses, the inner boss-piece also being provided With step bearings having closed inner ends and coaxial withv the radial -bearings respectively; shanks fitted in said radial bearings and the corresponding step bearings" respectively; propeller blades on said Shanks; bevel gears on lsaid Shanks and movy .able in said spaces; a spindle in said axialbore and having its end seated in said bearing recess of the outer boss-piece; a bevel gear on said spindle and meshing with vthe bevel gears of the shanks; means for adjusting said .spindle relative to the tail shaft; a packing gland on the outer end of the tailshaft and embracing said spindle; flanges on said Shanks and seated in said annular recesses, and a nut on said threaded portion of the tail shaft' andholding the inner bosspiece in position.

In testimony whereof, We have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

FRANK CLENNELL. FREDERICK WILLIAM THORP.

XVitne'sses to `the signature of Frank Glenne W. ALEXANDER,

r G. T. WIX. v

` Witnesses to the signature of Frederick WilliamThorp: y

CHARLES Y. FELL, PHILIP ToPLIss. 

